


A Silent Oath

by TheTrollOfTheBridge



Category: One Piece
Genre: Canon Compliant, Character Study, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Good Captain Monkey D. Luffy, Loyal Roronoa Zoro, Loyalty, M/M, Mugiwara no Ichimi | Straw Hat Pirates, Mugiwara no Ichimi | Straw Hat Pirates As Family, POV Roronoa Zoro, Relationship Study, Roronoa Zoro-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 09:41:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29964465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheTrollOfTheBridge/pseuds/TheTrollOfTheBridge
Summary: A little introspection of Zoro and why he would follow his Captain to the end of the world and then some.
Relationships: Monkey D. Luffy & Mugiwara Kaizoku | Strawhat Pirates, Monkey D. Luffy & Roronoa Zoro, Monkey D. Luffy/Roronoa Zoro, Mugiwara Kaizoku | Strawhat Pirates & Roronoa Zoro
Comments: 9
Kudos: 56





	A Silent Oath

He swore himself to Luffy on that day in Shell town, so long ago. Or well, it was not that long at all. A bit over two years, and yet it seemed as if he had known him for his whole life. As if their souls had always called to each other from across the sea.

He had always been seeking strength, to be the best. But beside a promise to a dead friend sworn on a white sword, his goal had been meaningless. What was supposed to come after that? Become the best, and just stop? His Captain gave him an objective beyond being at the top.

He would be the best swordsman the world had ever seen and see Luffy sit on his throne of foam. He would see his captain crowned king and stand by his side the whole time. People did not understand such loyalty. They thought it strange.

People saw him, stern, serious, no non-sense, and they looked down on him for following without question a man who seemed so silly and stupid as his Captain. But he could not have followed anyone else. Luffy had his loyalty and would always have it, in life and in death.

He remembered Shell town as if it happened yesterday. He could only laugh when remembering is words back then. He would “make Luffy apologize at the end of a sword”. _Hah_. As if.

He already started selling himself to Luffy when he agreed to follow him, did it further when he swore never to lose again after Mihawk almost cut him in half. He did not even realize it at the time, discovering how much his soul was wrapped around his captain’s as he stood in front of Kuma and offered his life, when he begged to be trained, stripping himself of his pride.

He belonged to his captain in every way, and he would never go back, no matter what. He would follow him to hell and back and not regret a single second of the trip.

And he knew the man would never abuse of his loyalty, even when knowing Zoro would execute his orders no matter what, and yet he almost never gave any. He trusted him to know what was important, what he wanted, and how to act accordingly.

And of course, the first mate never disappointed, not when they just met, against Buggy and never after that.

His captain owned his life because he never asked for it. He got his loyalty by being himself and trusting his crew to have his back. He had a dream and would never mock theirs.

He never told all of this to Luffy, his captain knew him well enough to be aware of it. Plus, if he ever voiced that he thought of himself as belonging to his Captain, it would upset him, the man making the link with the Celestial Dragons and their slaves.

But he did not see himself as a slave. On the contrary, his Captain offered him freedom, being the sun that guided him despite others calling him directionless. He would always be turned to the straw-hat wearing man and find his way to him. If he were betrayed, he could leave. Though he could trust that it would never happen. His Captain would sooner die than hurt his crew. Even if they were hurting themselves by their own actions, he would offer his help without imposing it, waiting for them to ask.

He did so with Nami when going against Arlong, refusing to act before she asked for it, he did it again with Robin at Enies Lobby, though it was never explicitly said. And again, for Sanji who tried to sacrifice himself for the crew.

The way he had of refusing to let them get injured because of their own choices was the reason why the only thing Zoro would ever hide from him was what happened on Thriller Bark. He would drown himself in the guilt of having one of his crewmates give his life in his stead.

And well, Zoro would always do his best to make sure his Captain never wavered. To help him make the right decisions and to trust himself. And if he were to fall, to hesitate, Zoro would be right behind him, ready to catch him.

Because that was his role as first mate, and it was one he would fill with pride. 


End file.
